Category Archives: The Music

There is a soundtrack to my novel Nephilim, Death by Design by Undecimber. Not every novel can boast its own soundtrack. And the fact that Peter Steele’s (Type O Negative) musical heir is the lead singer doesn’t exactly hurt. You may listen to it here:

It all started eight years ago, when my first novel was published. We got it into our heads that it should have a soundtrack and organised a rock contest. Reaktor won. The years passed by. Reaktor changed their name and some members, but the voice remained the same. Then they released an album and sold lots of copies in the United Kingdom. Just as it should be.

Then the band derailed and lead vocalist Patrik Ransäter was asked to sing in Josh Silver’s new band. Yes, that John Silver – the former keyboardist and producer of Type O Negative. The album is to be released in U.S. this winter.

In spite of chaotic tours, recordings in L.A., and strange conversations with The Edge of U2, this band still wants to collaborate with me. Pretty amazing.

Writing this blog post, I asked Patrik Ransäter what it’s like writing a song that is to be the soundtrack for a book:

“You don’t write a song. Songs write themselves. It’s just a matter of being there when it happens … to feel the music resonating through your body and streaming out through your fingers, straight into the instrument. You can’t just sit down and write music. The same way I suppose you can’t just sit down and write a new novel to order. So in a way it felt like an impossible task when I was asked to write a soundtrack for a novel. But something happens as you read a book. The setting, the atmosphere, and the mood grips your soul. Music emerges. The lyrics are already there. The aestethics of a novel might contain a hurricane of feelings, enough for an entire album. On the other hand, it takes an exceptional author to light the fire. I have had the advantage of working with such an author. Life is not fair. Get over it.”